A TRIP to Altrincham by Prince Charles on the troubled royal train cost the taxpayer more than é30,000, it has emerged.

The Prince used the train to travel from Aberdeen on an official engagement in 2003. It was one of 11 royal rail journeys he made during the year.

In a report, the Independent newspaper has claimed the train ran just 18 times and cost é782,000 to maintain in 2003.

The Queen has said the train should not be scrapped, but now only uses it rarely.

A leaked National Audit Office report on the Royal Family's travel arrangements also angered MPs recently when it emerged that Prince Andrew spent é325,000 hiring helicopters to play golf and for short journeys on official business.

The report also shows, however, that the Royals have cut their travel costs from é17.3 million in 1997 to under é5 million.